


some lapsang souchong or earl grey

by aphoticdepths



Series: FGO Ficlets [3]
Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Curses, Drabble, F/M, Fluff, Matchmaking, Tea Parties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 16:04:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16121987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aphoticdepths/pseuds/aphoticdepths
Summary: Fergus and Gawain have a tea party, Nursery Rhyme matchmaker, and Diarmuid is embarrassed.





	some lapsang souchong or earl grey

Diarmuid was passing by when he heard the piping voice of the strange doll-like Caster. "Is a geas not like a curse?"

When he turned, he was surprised by what he saw. Nestled around a small table, crouched on puffy pink cushions, were King Arturia's knight Gawain and Fergus mac Roich, along with Nursery Rhyme herself, a doll dressed in a blue version of her outfit, and several stuffed animals of varying make. Teacups were placed in from of all, and Nursery Rhyme was pouring for Gawain while Fergus cradled a tiny, floral-printed cup in his massive hand.

"Not at all, little lady," the warrior of Ulster and Connnacht said. "Can be in the right circumstances, but no, it's entirely different. A geas is an oath you swear, a curse is a curse."

She nodded. "Medb said that she was cursed, and I thought because she's a princess-"

Fergus burst into roaring laughter. "Ha! Sounds like her, though. That woman hates to let on that she's got her honor."

Nursery Rhyme nodded again, seriously. "I wanted to do things for stories. Someone is always cursed, and I knew you two couldn't say no..."

"I assure you, mine's no problem," said Gawain with a princely smile. "It's never been an issue for me to take a lady's order." Then he frowned. "Well. Except that one time during the war in the moon. That Jinako...it doesn't befit a knight to run all over a school looking for 'french fries', or doujinshi..."

Fergus laughed. "This isn't the sort of feast I often go to, but it's a fine one."

"I do want a cursed princess, though."

"Well, there's one keeping watch of our conversation," Gawain said, with a polite nod.

The man was blunt, but it was refreshing. Diarmuid bowed. "My apologies for interrupting."

Nursery Rhyme's eyes lit up. "He <i>is</i> just like a handsome prince! Maybe he could wake up Brynhild!"

Diarmuid suppressed a shudder at the thought. The Valkyrie...well, his love spot was always a curse, but in her presence it became far more dangerous. It was not her fault, though, and he did pity her-she seemed like a kind and unlucky woman when she wasn't trying to set him on fire and impale him.

Gawain waved a hand. "Actually, I was referring to his curse. Which is, in fact, a curse."

Diarmuid nodded, as Nursery's eyes lit up. "How did you get it? Was there a fairy?"

"Yes-"

She eagerly clapped her ceramic hands, bouncing. "Sit down, sit down! Tell me everything! I love stories! Is there a happy ending?" Diarmuid couldn't answer that as he sat down, and he saw her face turn grave. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I shouldn't have asked. I don't know if any of us Servants get happy endings."

Diarmuid didn't know what to say to that, because...it was true. It felt very true. But- "Maybe Chaldea is something of a happy ending?" he offered. "And I did deal with it. Fionn and I..." Had he?

"Well, you <i>were</i> rescued by a handsome king." Gawain put in.

Fergus guffawed. Diarmuid went red. And Nursery Rhyme gave another serious nod. "Yes. Arturia is a handsome princess." She smiled, before leaning for it. "Do you know what can cure it? True love's kiss? Being gifted something? Can I get you some tea?"

"Yes, please." He carefully removed the teddy bear from the puff he was on before holding the tiny teacup aloft to allow Alice to pour it. "I'm not sure about what can cure it. It was a gift from a fairy, and those are extremely powerful-"

"Could Arturia give you true love's kiss?" Nursery Rhyme wondered.

Diarmuid stopped with his tea at his mouth.

**Author's Note:**

> Fergus was under a geas that required him to attend any feast he was invited to, and Gawain swore an oath after he murdered a woman by accident to take any woman's request. Medb was complaining about her geas to daily bathe every day in a particular well which indirectly caused her infamous death.


End file.
